Toothbrush holder



July l5, 1930. l. A. BURNETT 1,770,478

Too'THBRUsH HOLDER 'Filed may 9, 1928 Patented July 15, 1930 UNTDYSTATESY IRA A. BURNETT, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS TOOTI-IBRUSI-I HOLDERApplication filed May 9,1928. Serial No. 276,220.

My invention relates to a device for holding brushes, as'for example,tooth brushes, and more particularly to a holder of this type which isprovided with means for permitting quick and enicient sterilization ofthe brush while in position on the holder;

Tooth brushes ordinarily are left lying about, or are hung up in theopen air, with the result that they accumulate dust and micro-organismfrom the surrounding air, and especially while they are in a wetcondition, form breeding ground for bacteria, moulds and other forms ofmicroscopic life, thus rendering the brushes unsanitary.

Also, it is well recognized that the average tooth brush after abrushing of the teeth is laden with germs or bacteria which remain onthe vbristles and breed, if not properly sterilized before it is putaway. It is apparent that a toobth brush has little value to clean theteeth, if containingbacteria before it is used, it will fail entirely toremove the bacteria on the teeth. The average individual fails tosterilize a tooth brush each time it is used, due to the trouble andeffort of providing a sterilizer and the time spent in the operation.VIt is also considered troublesome to have such sterilizing means about vwhen it is apparently easier to rinse the brush under the faucet andhang itin a rack.

An objectiof my `invention is to provide a Vholder for tooth brusheswhich may be furnished with a vessel containing an antiseptic solutionarranged to permit a quick immerr sion of the vbrush in the solutionwhile the brush remains on the holder, without requiring the brush toremain in the solution any length of time. The vessel may be carried onthe holder so as to permit it to be readily moved upwardly to immersethe head or bristle portion of the brush in theantiseptic solution andthereafter withdrawn to remain below thebrush so as to allow the latterto drain any solution remaining 'on the brush back into the vessel. Y

A further object of my invention is to provide an arrangement abovedescribed, which will permit sterilizing of the brush while remainingonthe holder, and which will prevent the brush, kor its bristles,`fromremain-V ing `immersed in the antiseptic solution long enough to affectthe backing or the bristles. I find that there is a tendency, for asolution of sufficient strength to kill bacteria, to de-v stroy thebrush if in contact therewith any 5,5 considerable time. My device isarranged to i require the vessel to be brought upwardly over thebristles, and, when released, to drop back into position below thebrush.

ln order to apprise those skilled in the art QQ how to 'constructand'practice my invention, I shall now describe a preferred embodimentthereof in connection with the accompanying drawings which form a parthereof.

In the drawing:

Figure l is a perspective view of the improved tooth brush holder; and

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view of the same, showing the vesselraised to submerge the bristles of the tooth brush in the antisep- 70^tic solution.

A holder embodying my invention may comprise a bracket designated as Aadapted to be attached to a vertical surface on or adjacent to amedicinal cabinet, or other por- 75. tion of the side wall, so yas tokeep the tooth kbrush ina handy place and ready for use.

Bracket VA is preferably made of sheet metal, or other like material,capable of being readily stamped and formed whereby to proa0 vide a wallplate l furnished with apertured ears 2 for receiving the fasteningmeans attaching the device to a mounting, a horizontally forwardlyextending bent portion 3 and a vertical portion 4 adapted to be provided85, with means for movably receiving a tooth Y brush in a verticalposition.

Such means may comprise a spring clip 5 at the upper end ofvertical'portion 4, which clip 5 is fixed at 6 tothe portion 4 and coop-BQ crates Vat Vits upper end with a U-strip 7 for yieldably holding theupper end vof a tooth brush in position. The manner in which this isaccomplished may be seen in Figsl and 2 whereinVV the tooth brush isillustrated Y in dottedl lines. l

- A depending supporting member 8 extends downwardly through horizontalportion 3 whereby. to carry at its lower enda 'rest 9, againstV which.the extreme tip of thetooth wf cient sterilization of the bristles.

brush at the head portion engages. Guiding arms 10 may be furnishedmidway along depending member 8 for guiding the intermediate portion ofthe tooth brush. hfember 8 may extend upwardly through the horizontalortion as described, and be secured to the ack of the vertical portion,as illustrated in Fig. 2. A perforated cup 12 is secured to the extremelower end of member 8.

A depending rod 13 is provided at the rear of depending member 8, thisrod 13 being suitably secured to horizontal portion 3. An elongatedbearing sleeve 14 is adapted to slide along rod 13. A threaded ring 15may be attached to, or otherwise made integral with, bearing sleeve 14so as to removably receive a container or vessel 16 adapted to containan antiseptic solution 17. It will be observed that vessel 16 isthreaded at its upper end into ring l5. The purpose of permitting vessel16 to be readily removable is to permit the Solution to be readilychanged when desired.

B referring to Fig. 1, it will be lseen that per orated cup 12 serves asa cover for the vessel when the same is in its lower position asillustrated in this ligure. A pin 18 is provided'at the lower end of rod13 to act as a stop so as to limit the downward movement of sleeve 14.Normally, vessel 16 will. be in the position shown in full lines inFig. 1. Perforated cup 12 will lie directly over the mouth of vessel 1G,being however of slightly smaller diameter to permit this vessel to move4upwardly and over the same, whereby to submerge perforated cup 12 inthe solution. Upward movement of vessel 16 also' submerges the toothbrush, or the bristles, as noted in Fig. 2, whereby to permit completeand eili- Such up- Ward movement of vessel 19 may be readily obtained bythe person merely gripping the vessel and sliding it upwardly along rod13. After `a complete immersion of the bristles in the antisepticsolution, the individual may allow this vessel to move downwardly again,and, if the brush has just been used, it is allowed to remain on theholder and drain any of the solution on the bristles back into thevessel. The means provided to hold the tooth brush on the holderadvantageously suspends the tooth brush in a vertical posi.- tien overthe mouth of vessel 16. Rest 9 is arranged to prevent the lower end ofthe backing of the tooth brush from contacting with the cupy 12 wherebyin the absence of such Contact the brush will be allowed to immediatelydrain the solution clinging to thefhristles back into the vessel and bedried.

I have found that it is oftendesirable to sterilize the brush before useafter remaining exposed in the air on the holder. This can be readilyaccomplished by bringing the vessel 16 upwardly along rod 13 to immersethe b'istlesin the antiseptic solution. The brush v can then be removedfrom the holder and rinsed under the faucet so as to be in a suitablecondition for use on the teeth. I have also found it to be desirable tosterilize the brush after use so as to immediately kill the bacteriaremoved by the brush from the teeth. Hence, the brush may be immersedimmediately after placed on the holder, the brush remainingr on theholder thereafter until again used.

Vessel 16 may be of any material, but I preferablyv employ glass orother transparent substance which will permit a person to observe theamount of antiseptic solution in the vessel. I also contemplateproviding a marking to indicate the level at which the solution shouldbe kept in order to completely immerse the bristles of the brush whenthe vessel is moved upwardly along rod 13. Such markings may be in theform of an indicator 20 cut into the glass or the material of vessel 1G.

lVithout further elaboration, the foregoing will so fully explain thegist of my invention, that others may, by applying current knowledge,readily adopt the same for use under varying conditions of service,without eliminating certain features, which may properly be said toconstitute the essential items of novelty involved, which items areintended to be defined and secured to me by the following claims.

vI claim:

1. A holder for tooth brushes and the like comprising a bracket adaptedto be attached to a vertical surface and having an upright portionassociated with means for removably holding a tooth brush thereon, andavessel adapted to contain an antiseptic solution movably carried bysaid bracket for immersing the head of the tooth brush in said solution.

2. A holder for tooth brushes and the like comprising a bracket adaptedto be mounted substantially vertically and having means associatedtherewith for removably receiving a tooth brush thereon, and a liquidvessel provided with relative movement for immersing the headv of thetooth brush in said vessel while carried on said bracket.

3. A holder for tooth brushes and the like comprising a bracket havingmeans removably carrying a tooth brush in a vertical position, a vesseladapted to contain an antiseptic solution removably carried by saidbracket, and amounting on said bracket for said vessel providing forrelative movement between said bracket and said vessel Whereby the headportion of the tooth brush may be momentarily immersed in said solutionwhile in position on said bracket.

4.v A holder for tooth brushes and the like comprising a bracket havingmeans removably carrying a tooth brush in a vertical position, avertically positioned rod carried by Y said braeket'in closeproximity'to the tooth brush, and a vessel adapted to contain an anvtiseptic solution movable along said rod for immersing the head portionof the tooth brush in said solution.

5. A holder for tooth brushes and the like comprising a bracket havingmeans for removably carrying a tooth brush thereon, said means includinga spring clip for receiving the handle end of said brush and a dependingmember with a perforated cup at the lower end over which the headportion of said brush lies, a rod extending downwardly on said bracket,and avessel adapted to contain an antiseptic solution movable along saidrod to immerse thehead port-ion of said brush in said solution, saidperforated `cup normally serving as a cover for said vessel and as adrain for solution remaining` on said brush after immersed in saidvessel.

6. A holder for tooth brushes or the like comprising a bracket havingmeans for removably carrying a tooth brush thereon, said means includinga spring clip at the upper end for receiving the handle end of saidbrush and a depending member with a'rest at its lower end for receivingthe head portion of said brush, a depending rod on said bracket disposedat the rear. of said depending member, a vessel adapted to contain anantiseptic solution movable along said rod, and a perforated cup carriedon said depending member below said rest, said cup normally servino as acover for said vessel.

A holder for tooth brushes or the like comprising a bracket having meansfor removably carrying a tooth brush in a vertical position, a roddepending from'said bracket, a sleeve movable along said rod, aforwardly extending ring on said sleeve, and a vessell adapted tocontain an antiseptic solution for said tooth brush removably carriedbysaid rlnO.

82.D A holder for toothbrushes or'the likeA comprising a bracket havinga vertical mounting plate, a forwardly extending horizontal portion anda vertically extending portion vabove said horizontal portion, means onsaid vertically extending portion for removably carrying a tooth brushon said bracket, and means on said horizontal por* tion for movablycarrying a container, said container having an antiseptic Huid thereinfor sterilizing said brush while carried 'by said means. I

In witness'whereof, I have hereunto sub-k scribed my name.

ma A.V BURNETT.

